Muslims in Sri Lanka will celebrate the Haj festival (Eid al-Adha) on 28 May, the Colombo Grand Mosque has announced.
The Colombo Grand Mosque and the Moon Sighting Committee have stated that the crescent moon for the month of Dhul Hijjah —the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar- has not been sighted in Sri Lanka today and therefore May 19 will mark the first day of the new month.
Accordingly, the Hajj festival will be observed on Thursday, 28 May, as it always falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah while, the Arafat Day will be observed on Wednesday, 27 May.
The festival commemorates the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham) son as an act of respect to the divine.
Eid al-Adha, the second most significant festival for Muslims globally, coincides with the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia.
Haj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims and one of the five pillars of Islam. It must be performed at least once in a lifetime by every Muslim who is physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey to the holy city of Makkah.